Cub Scouts, Brownies, Boy and Girl Scouts, American Heritage, and other kid-oriented groups of all ages and skills are invited to participate! Come and enjoy a day of fun and friendly orienteering practice and competition. This event gives scouts a chance to improve their outdoor skills and navigate the beautiful trails of this park.

The orienteering courses consist of a series of flags ("controls") set up in a linear course around the park trails. Participants try to find all the controls and return to the finish in the shortest time. Free beginner clinics will be provided; no prior orienteering experience is needed.

This event will help Scouts interested in passing off requirements for the BSA Orienteering merit badge or GSA Orienteering interest project. Scouts will be grouped according to rank and will navigate courses matched to their skill level. Scouts will participate in pairs or in small groups.

Note that overnight camping is offered at this park.

COURSES

The Scout-O will offer four levels of orienteering courses, with the intention that Scouts will compete with other Scouts of the same rank. Therefore, please read the following course descriptions carefully and be sure your Scouts are registered for the appropriate course(s).

Note: The White beginner course is noncompetitive and for learning the basics only. Mixed rank category teams are allowed, but will compete on the course of the higher-ranking Scout.

- White Course - Beginner (about 8 controls, about 2 km, all on trails/roads)The white course is a non-competitive course designed to introduce Cub Scouts, Webelos, Brownies, Juniors, Tenderhearts and Explorers to orienteering. Scouts will participate in small groups of two to four Scouts. Each group of no more than four Scouts must be accompanied by an adult, who should follow his/her group, not lead it.

- Yellow course - Beginner/Intermediate (about 11 controls, about 3.5 km, mostly on trail, some route choices)The yellow course is for pairs of Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class Boy Scouts; Girl Scout advanced Juniors and Cadettes; and American Heritage Girl Explorers and Pioneers. It is recommended that an adult trail the pair, but NOT communicate with the Scouts except in the case of an emergency.

- Orange - Intermediate (about 12 controls, about 4 km, mostly off trail)The orange course is for pairs of Star, Life and Eagle Boy Scouts; Girl Scout advanced Cadettes, Ambassadors and Seniors; and American Heritage Girl Patriots. No adults are allowed to accompany teams on this course.

- Green - Intermediate/Advanced (about 20 controls, about 6 km, mostly off trail)The green course is for individual entrants only - no pairs. It is limited to Scouts (including Explorers and Adult Scouters) with a fair amount of previous orienteering experience.

How long will it take?That really depends on the kids. Some race through their courses in less than 1 hour, others take their time and stay out 2+ hours. This is true of all the courses.

What merit badge requirements can be completed through this event?Scouts should be able to pass off requirement 1a for 2nd Class (explain map and compass - the course is not long enough to pass off 1b, but you could probably make it so if you go back and forth along the course enough times), and requirement 2 for 1st Class (including the height measurement, although it is not really part of a standard orienteering course).

Scouts can also pass off requirements 2, 3a, 4, 6 and 7a for the merit badge. If the scouts intend to pass off these requirements, it will work best if they come ready to show/explain/identify; there are so many groups coming through there isn't enough time to properly explain everything and then test each scout. It will also help give them a better experience if they have already reviewed the merit badge workbook before coming. The workbook is online here.